Sofas can float
Ever been to a café with sofas nailed halfway up the walls? With a mattress on an upper level only accessible by a ladder? Or with concrete blocks on wheels for coffee tables? This is what gets people talking about the quintessentially Neukölln café, Leuchtstoff.
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Get out while you still can
The 3rd of October is a very important day.
Would you believe that there was a near sheer drop just outside this frame?
And by that I mean, I was sitting outside, basking in evening sunshine, actually grateful for a cold marble table under my arms, and checking our little old thermometer in disbelief – autumn isn’t normally defined as a balmy 20-degree day where I come from.
This must be fate: many moons ago, I went on a stroll with a friend to Teufelsberg in the ‘last’ days of summer. The very next week, it was already cold enough to be wearing two layers of knitwear. The weather gods decreed: thou shalt not blog about doing outdoorsy things. I thought my Grunewald post’s days were numbered.
But the Indian summer god of Berlin has been vicious to the mean Siberian winter gods of Berlin. They let their guard down for a week and – DING! – scorching sunshine. Well, almost. Good enough to give me a second chance to tell you: get yo’ ass over to Grunewald before those Siberian gods come back. Continue reading “Get out while you still can”
It never gets old
In a city where new discoveries are old hat, it’s hard to believe that finding a hidden gem is still possible.
No prizes for finding the amusing detail in this idyllic scene.
Let’s be honest: the secret hideaways of Berlin are fast becoming common knowledge. The infamous abandoned TB clinics and theme parks are regularly frequented by intrepid explorers; hipster cafes are impossibly full for the Berlin Sunday brunchtime; and if you find yourself haggling for an authentic vintage satchel at a flea market, you will probably have to engage in physical combat with your neighbours. More or less.
But finding something new doesn’t need to be this way; it doesn’t have to involve anything illegal, it doesn’t need to be covered in graffiti, and it doesn’t have to be in the East of Berlin, either. Not that I have anything against those qualities (well, maybe the first) – I love the East as much as any Expat. But in my opinion, consciously avoiding the West on those soul-searching flaneurs is a big mistake. If you really want to be different, stop thinking about what the mainstream is up to and think about what you (yes, you!) have not yet done. Continue reading “It never gets old”
Ausländer to Insider
Moving to Berlin for the second time round seems like a piece of sausage.
The first time, I had a couple of friends already there, but they had what I didn’t have – a life. In the first few months of living abroad, obtaining this precious thing was my ultimate aim, and I went about my work ruthlessly… er, I mean, engagingly. Thankfully there were some people in this town who were crazy enough to like me for that, and believe it or not, they’re not too hard to find.
Abroad, alone, and with absolutely nothing to lose. In the right hands, these three setbacks can be weapons of mass abduction, capable of ensnaring unsuspecting acquaintances-to-be. How? With a bit of guts, a lot of patience, and no shame whatsoever. Berlin is the perfect city to push the boat out in as it is flooded with choice in terms of things to do. Daily. If you’re not in Berlin, then try not to allow your burning envy stop you getting inspiration from these cunning tricks.
[Note: no strangers were harmed in the making of this article. Hopefully.]
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Blah Blah Berlin 